Telling a New Story: Working Together to Build Place-based Food Systems in the Palouse-Clearwater Region of the U.S. Inland Northwest

Abstract

From early adopters and the first stirrings of cultural change to development of a thriving local foods culture and economy, the Palouse-Clearwater region of southeastern Washington and north central Idaho has seen remarkable place-based food-system development through decades of hard work by a broad variety of players. These place-based food systems have arisen from a combination of individual entrepreneurism, organizational leadership, partnerships, and synergistic relationships across communities and the larger region. Founded on value-based relationships and a shared vision of the future, the local food narratives that have emerged during the development process have framed and shaped the character of these food systems and their expansion over time. . . .